Closure, terminal, and mounting construction for electrolytic devices



March 2, 1954 J. B. BRENNAN 2,671,126 CLOSURE, TERMINAL, AND MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTROLYTIC DEVICES Filed Jan. 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2, 1954 J. B. BRENNAN 2,671,126 CLOSURE, TERMINAL, AND MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTROLYTIC DEVICES Filed Jan. 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1954 J. B. B CLOSURE, TERMINAL, AND

FOR ELECTROLYTIC Filed Jan. 25, 1950 RENNAN MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 2, 1954 J. B. BRENNAN 2,671,126 CLOSURE, TERMINAL, AND MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTROLYTIC DEVICES Filed Jan. 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 inlar ar p id o Patented Mar. 2, 1954 CLOSURE, TERMINAL, AND

MOUNTING CON STRUCTION FOR ELECTROLYTIC DEVICES Joseph B, Brennan, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Everett D. McCurdy,

as trustee Application January 25, 1950, Serial No. 140,513

3 Claims.

"This invention relates to electrolytic devices and more particularly to closure, terminal and mounting constructions for electrolytic devices. The invention is described herein in connection with electrolytic condensers and the like. It is tobe understood, however, that the invention is useful in connection with various other electrolytic devices, The present application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. '7.33,97Q, filed March 11, 1947.

Electrolytic condensers ordinarily comprise a container in which the electrodes or plates of the condenser are disposed. The container serves to retain the electrolyte required for the operation of the condenser, the electrolyte ordinarily being a liquid or a viscous paste and also protects the condenser plates. In order to prevent loss of the electrolyte, it is necessary that the container be sealed, and it is also necessary that one ormore terminals or leads beextended from the electrodes within the container to the exterior of the container.

A general object of the invention is the provision of a closure construction for electrolytic devices by means of which the container of the device can be sealed effectively and permanently, in which leads or terminals can be extended from the interior to the exterior of the device and firmly supported and insulated from each other and in which means for supporting the device canbe incorporated if desired. Another object is the provision of such a construction which can be manufactured at a substantial saving in cost as compared to the cost of prior types of closure assemblies.

According to my application Serial N 0. 733,970 aforesaid, I provide an eifectiveseal and closure for the container foran electrolyticdevice and asupport for the terminals thereof by disposing within-theopen end of the container two morn bars composed oi resilient insulatin material suchas rubber-(the term rubber as used herein includes both natural and synthetic rubber and rubber-likematerials) and having opposed mating surfaces. Oneor more terminal members, preferably in the form of small wires or strips of thin metallic foil, extend from the exterior to the interiorvof the container between the opposed mating surfaces, and the resilient members are deformedto admit the terminal and to seal against the terminal and each other.

According tothe presentinvention, a seal of this type is employed and in conjunction with the seal, giving additional sup,- port and separation to the terminal mem rs and also or alternatively means are provided for mounting the condenser or other electronic device in an apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred forms thereof refer ence being made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional-view through an electrolytic condenser of the paste type embodying one form of my invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the condenser shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken as indicated by the line 3 -3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of Figure 3 as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is an exploded view illustrating the component parts of the condenser of Figure 1; Figure '6 illustrates a sub-assembly made up of some of the parts shown in Figure 5; Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sectional details similar to Figure 3 but showing modified forms of terminal con,- structions; Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a condenser embodying a modified form of container and mounting device; and Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing one stage in the assembly of the condenser shown in Figure 10. The thickness of various parts is exaggerated in the drawi gs for convenience of illustration.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, a condenser embodying one form of my invention may comprise an electrode assembly l0 disposed within a container 1 i, the container being a thin-walled openeended cup or can composed of aluminum or other suitable material. The electrode or plate asosmbly may be of any desired construction; this assembly per se forms no part of the present invention and will not be descri ed. further herein. Terminals or leads l2 and I3 project upwardly from the assembly If extend through the sealing means and provide means for conne tin th a semb to an external circuit. The terminals, which may be composed oi fine wire or other suitable conductive material but which are shown herein as being composed of narrow strips of thin (0.039 inch for example) aluminum .foil extend as described in my aforesaid application between resilient nular sealing r gs 15 a d i the i ne rin t being supp t d by a cl su e di h c m osed of a plast c nsula n ma e al suc a a heno ic o densation product. ard rubber or other terial hat will no contamina e o bs dam g d by h l c ro yt aty ical i t llation a 10 m.f.d. condenser the disk may have a thickness of about inch. The sealing members are held in sealing engagement with the container, with the terminal members I2 and I3, with each other except where they are separated by the terminal members and with the closure disk I! by being compressed between the closure disk I! and the wall of the container II particularly in the region within the portion 20 of the container II. The sealing rings may be composed of any suitable resilient insulating material which will not contaminate or be damaged by the electrolyte. Rubber of the sort used in ordinary small rubber bands is satisfactory; where the terminals are 0.030 inch thick, sealing members having a normal thickness of about 1 5 inch, for example, are satisfactory. Rubber strips or latex, as described in my aforesaid application may be employed. The thickness of the sealing members is not critical so long as there is sufiicient resilience to permit the terminals to be embedded in and sealed against the sealing members with the sealing members sealed against each other except where they are separated by the terminals. Preferably, the sealing members are stretched over the periphery of the closure disk; the inner sealing member 16 has inwardly extending flanges 2i and 22 that engage the marginal edge portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the closure disk ll and the outer sealing member !5 has flanges 23 and 24 that overlie flanges 2| and 22. Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which the sealing members are sealed against the portion 2% of the container II, the disk I! and the terminal I2. The same sealing action takes place adjacent the terminal I3. Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the outer surface of the inner member I6 seals against the inner surface of the outer member I5 in the zones where the terminal members do not intervene. The sealing members I5 and It also make sealing engagement with the portion of the container and the supporting disk I1, respectively, in these zones.

As described and illustrated in greater detail in my aforesaid application, the material of the rings l5 and I6 is soft and resilient enough to permit the terminal members to become embedded therein with the resilient rings I5 and I6 sealing not only against the lateral faces of the terminals but also against the narrow edges thereof, thus effectively sealing the container against leakage.

The seal and closure construction just described is generally similar to that described and claimed in my aforesaid application. According to the present invention, provision is made for incorporating in the closure and seal construction means for positively supporting and separating terminal members and means for mounting the condenser. These means can be used and preferably are used together but either one may be utilized without the other if desired.

In order to provide for ease of connection of the condenser to external circuits, the foil or wire terminals I2 and I3 are preferably welded and/or clinched to tinned steel external terminal members 25 and 26, respectively, see Figure 1. These are of the type conventionally used in electrolytic condensers and have foot portions 21 and 2B which are welded and/or clinched to the ends of terminals l2 and I3 and openings 29 and 30 near their upper ends, the openings being provided for convenient connection of the terminals to conductors forming part of external circuit.

In order to retain the terminals 25 and 26 in proper position and also to separate them and insulate them from each other and to protect the terminals I2 and I3, a terminal-supporting disk 32 is disposed immediately above the closure disk I'I. Disk 32 may be relatively thin (for example, es inch) and may be composed of any suitable insulating material such as hard fiber or the like; disk 32 does not come into contact with the electrolyte and therefore contamination of the electrolyte and damage to the disk by the electrolyte are not problems. The disk 32 has apertures 33 and 35 through which the shanks of terminals 25 and 25' extend. The outer marginal edges of the disk 32 engage and compress the upper annular edge of the sealing ring !5 as indicated at 35, the external diameter of the disk 32 approximating the internal diameter of the portion 20 of the container II. The thickness of the rings I5 and I5 where they are disposed between the disks I1 and 32 is such that a space 35 is left between the disks I7 and 32 to accommodate the terminals I2 and I3 and the feet 21 and 28 of the terminals 25 and 2% where they are welded together. The depth of the space, however, is preferably slightly less than the combined thicknesses of the terminals I2 and I3 and feet 21 and 23. Thus, the feet are held tightly between the disks ii and 32 which deflect slightly to accommodate them; the terminals 25 and 26 are thereby retained in position against any substantial amount of movement.

In order to provide for mounting of condensers in apparatus such as radios and the like, it is customary to employ a cathode and/or mounting ring. Such a cathode and/or mounting ring can readily be assembled with condensers embodying the present invention. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, such cathode and mounting ring 38 may have a short cylindrical portion 35 with mounting lugs 46 of the conventional type at its upper end and an external flange lil at its lower end. The flange (H is disposed immediately above and in contact with the upper marginal surface of the disk 32 l and the mounting ring and entire seal and teris held in place by spinning or otherwise turning in the upper edge of the portion 20 of the container H as indicated at 42. The spinning operation subjects the assembly to axial compression, compressing the rings I5 and It by the pressure exerted by the disk 32 in the zone 35 and the pressure exerted in the opposite direction in the zone 43 adjacent the shoulder M formed by the inwardly extending groove 35 immediately below the portion 20 of the container I I. When the ring is to be used as a cathode terminal any convenient means may be employed to connect the condenser cathode thereto.

The mode of assembly of the parts will be evident from a consideration of Figures 5 and 6. Initially, the container It is provided with the groove 45, the portion 25 of the container being straight to the end thereof. The terminal members l2 and I3 of the electrode assembly I0 may be welded and/or clinched to the terminals 25 and 26 at any convenient time during the assembly operation. The inner rubber ring I6, which is normally of smaller diameter than the disk I! is for example stretched over the periphery of the disk N. Then the terminal members I2 and I3 are disposed in contact with the outer surface of the ring I6. After the outer rubber ring I5 is stretched over the inner rubber ring I6 and the terminal members I2 and I3, the terminals 25 and 26 are then welded to terminals minal assembly accrues lit it unless the operation. has previously bsemperfbrmedl.

If? desired; a sub-assembly suelr shown. in Figure: 6."- may be: produced. by slipping. the: ter mina'lsfifi and 2e into the: openingsiin the it 325: andi clinching the feet 21' and: 2B: of: the terminals: to: the disk 32? as shown at." 4.8 and 491'. Such: a. sub-assembly can. be handled? as a. unit during: subsequent operations; the: sub-assembly is. convenient. where it isnecessary'tuisubject. the electrode assembly It: t additional: aging. or formation before: it is: sealed? in. the container orrcan-lzli.

Next, the electrode: assembly; IQJ is; disposed. within the containeri |;-l then; the: disk Hz, with therings it and. I stretchedrouer theperiphery thereof and with: the: terminals lZ-Z and; t3 ex..- tending between the? outer surface of'the. inner. ping. and the innersurface of. the outer ring; iSi pressed: into: the: portion 2rd until the: inwardly. extendingima-rginal portion 2-4 off ring: lids-firmly in' engagement with shoulder. 44 asrshown zit-4'3. in: Figure 3; Thereaften; unless a. subs-assembly as shownin Figure. 6- has been: madepreviously, the disk 32 is slipped over: theitenninals fi and 26% and into the; open end of portion 211;: ord'r narilyit isnot necessary to clinch: the: feet; of the terminalslto the: disk whenzthesubeassemblv isnot' required; The-mounting andcathodering 3B is placed in position and the end edggecf portion: ris turnedfover as at? 42: by: aaspinningior pressing operation to firmly: engage: the flange. 4.1 and: exert pressure thereon to compress: the sealassembly between the: disk. 32: and the -shoul.- der.-43; t-huscompleting.theasscmbly.

In Figure 7: amodified form: of the: invention is, shown in: which the terminals. for the con denser assembly I0 are-in therform" of wire and are extended in one piece between the sealing members and throughthecpenings inthe disk 32. Theterminal I 2aonly is shown.: inithedraiving; the other terminal being substantially identical The? remaining parts of the structure function.- and are arranged in the-manner pre-- viously described with: reference. to. Figures 1 to 5, and the referencechar-aoters employed in Fig ones 1* to Shave been appliedtocorresponding parts in Figure '7.

Figure 8 is a showing of another modification in. which the external terminals take. the. form of. wires welded and/or clinchedto the. terminals I2= and I3. of: the condenser assembly I0, Incthis figure. only the. terminal a is shown, the portion' Zia of the wire being welded to the terminal I2.. A=similar terminal,.not sho.wn, is welded.- to the terminal 53 here as in Figure 7. The remaining parts are constructed-aspreviousl described and are identified by the same"- reference characttors;

Figured illustrates. anotherxmodlfication of the invention; in which the. outer? resilient. annular sealing, ring 55a extends around the periphery of. the: terminal supporting disk 32; theinwardiy extending;v flange 23a of the sea-ling ring et ztends over the marginal edge portion of the disk: 32 and? is engaged, by, the inwardlyiturnededge:42 of the:container to provide the-necessarysealing pressure. The ring [5a encompasses disk 32. In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the mount ing ring 38 is omitted, one or more cathode tabs 49a being welded to the container ll if desired. Except for this and the arrangement of the outer sealing ring, the remaining parts of the assembly are constructed as previously described with respect to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings and are; identified: by the same reference charactersi It Willi blr understoo'dithat if. desired 1 the wire terminal!v arrangement of Figures 7 and 8' and/or the clinched terminalscf' Figure 6 may. be used with this type of construction; A: cathode and mounting: ring such: a shown inv Figures 1: to 4' may" be"; employed? if desired, the ring being diseitheri'iinmediatelybelowthe upper flange 23a: of: the sealing ring itaor between the flange: fia and the inwardly turned edge 201": the-container;

Figures: 1.0 and 1 1: illustrate an adaptation of the". invention. to a. containera nd mounting ring construction of a difterenttype. Inthese figures the terminals; sealing rings and disks lTand;3'2- function in the manner previously described and thesei-and other identical parts are identified: by the referencechara'cters used in describing the modification: of Figures. 1 to 5; However; in this form. oi'the: invention, the container He is composedi of water-mooted cardboard; plastic, thin metal.v or other'material which does not of itself have: great? strength',. and the counting ring. 38a. is; utilizedto reinforce the container to provide the necessary strength for creating an effective seal by compression or" the sealing rings I5 and 15. In this modification, the container lla is initially provided with: an inwardly extending groove lifa furnishing. a shoulder 44a toast as. a stop for; the seal assembly. The upper portion lower the: container is initially straight. The mounting ring? 33c is preferably composed of aluminum; steel. or other suitable material and comprises.- a straight tubular portion or sleeve Ste havin sufiicient strength to exert the necessary clamping force on the sealing rings. 15 and IE5- from which mounting lugs etc project.

To assemble. condensers embodying this constructiom. the parts. are first disposed as shown in=Figure l-1,.the disk ll and-sealing members. It and 16 being pressed into the portionZflaof the container Ha after the mounting sleeve 39a has been: positioned around: the portion 28a toreinforce. it. Then the sleeve 39a is spun or otherwise deformed; inwardly immediately below the shoulder Me as indicated at 50 in- Figure l0-to support-and reinforce the shoulder. The assemblyisccmpletedhy spinning or otherwise forming thegroove. 5.!- immediately above the disk 32-, thus providing an inwardly extending. shoulder 52 abovethedisk 32.. In practice, both grooves may be formed simultaneously. The spinning operation applies axial pressure'to the seal assembly, pressure being. exerted by the shoulder 51 to. compress the. disk against the portion of.the.o.uter. ring. Hand to. compress the outer ring against the shoulder a which is supported bythe inwardly deformed portion 58 of the. sleeve 39a. Thus, theoperatic-nof deforming thesleeve secures the. sleeve firmly to. the container Ha, reinforces the container where. such. reinforcementisrequired in. order tocreatesealing pressure and compressesthe resilient sealing means to maketheseal.

From: the. foregoing description of preferred forms: of my invention, it will be. evident that I have. provideda closure and terminal construction for electrolytic condensers and other electrolytic devices in which the containers for the device are properly sealed against loss of electrolyte and the terminals are supported in desired positions and separated and insulated from each other. My invention lends itself to use with conventional terminals and conventional mounting means for the condensers. The construction I is such that the condensers can be manufactured and assembled at low cost, and by simple manufacturing operations the completed assembly is made leakproof and sturdy.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made in the preferred forms of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the mounting ring may be omitted if it is not required. The invention may be adapted to different types of electrolytic devices and different materials may be employed. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 10 and 11, the sleeve 39a may be terminated in the region immediately above the groove in instances where mounting lugs are not required. The modified terminal constructions of Figures '7 and 8 may be used with the container and mounting ring arrangement of Figures 10 and 11. Various other modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing description of preferred forms of the invention is given by way of example and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A closure and terminal support for an electrolytic device having an open-ended container, said closure and support comprising a rigid imperforate disk-like closure member composed of insulating material disposed within the open end of the container, two members composed of resilient insulating material disposed one within the other and having annular complementary mating surfaces, the inner of said resilient members engaging and being supported by the periphery of said insulating rigid imperforate disk-like member against the pressure exerted by the outer of said resilient members and having inwardly extending flanges engaging the marginal edge portion of the radial surfaces of said insulating imperforate closure member and the outer of said resilient members engaging the outer surface of said inner resilient member and having inwardly extending portions overlying the inwardly extending flanges of the inner resilient member and being supported by the interior surface of the open end of said container, a metallic terminal extending between said mating surfaces of said resilient members from the interior to the exterior of said closure member, said terminal being embedded in said resilient members and said resilient members being directly in contact with each other on either side of said terminal, the mating surfaces of said resilient members being in sealing engagement with each other and with said terminal, a terminal supporting disk overlying said closure member, said disk being composed of insulating material and having an opening through which said terminal extends, said disk engaging the inwardly extending flange of the outer resilient member.

2. A closure and terminal support for an electrolytic device having an open-ended container, said closure and support comprising a rigid insulating imperforate disk-like closure member disposed within the open end of the container, two members composed of resilient insulating material disposed one within the other and having annular complementary mating surfaces, the inner of said resilient members engaging and being supported by the periphery of said rigid disk-like member against the pressure exerted by the outer of said resilient members and having inwardly extending flanges engaging the marginal edge portion of the radial surfaces of said rigid insulating imperforate closure member and the outer of said resilient members engaging the outer surface of said inner resilient member and being supported by the interior surface of the open end of said container, a metallic terminal extending between said mating surfaces of said resilient members from the interior to the exterior of said rigid insulating imperforate closure member, said terminal being embedded in said resilient members and said resilient members being directly in contact with each other on either side of said terminal, the mating surfaces of said resilient members being in sealing engagement with each other and with said terminal, a terminal supporting disk overlying said rigid insulating imperforate closure member, said disk being composed of insulating material and having an opening through which said terminal extends, said outer resilient member encompassing said disk.

3. In an electrolytic device having an openended container, a closure assembly for said container comprising a rigid insulating imperforate closure disk disposed in the open end of said container, means for creating a seal between said rigid insulating imperforate closure disk and said container, a terminal extending through said sealing means, the improvement which comprises a terminal supporting disk secured in the open end of said container exteriorly of said rigid insulating imperforate closure disk, said terminal supporting disk being composed of insulating material and having an opening therein through which said terminal extends, an external reinforcing ring disposed around the container near the open end thereof, said reinforcing ring and said container being deformed inwardly immediately adjacent said closure assembly on the side thereof opposite the open end of the container and also being deformed inwardly immediately adjacent the terminal supporting disk on the side thereof toward the open end of said container.

JOSEPH B. BRENNAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 960,222 Fuld May 31, 1910 1,920,799 'Lilienfeld Aug. 1, 1933 1,934,515 Tyzzer Nov. '7, 1933 2,058,773 Cole Oct. 27, 1936 2,202,166 Peck May 28, 1940 2,225,801 Schnoll Dec. 24, 1940 2,246,933 Deeley June 24, 1941 2,298,441 Waterman Oct. 13, 1942 2,460,903 Peck Feb. 8, 1949 

